A cop who went after the ‘worst of the worst’ bad guys has died

Colleagues on Friday described Fort Worth police officer Garrett Hull, who was critically injured by a gunshot to the head while breaking up an overnight robbery and who died Friday night, as a man who is eager to do the toughest tasks when it comes to crime fighting.

“He goes after the worst of the worst,” police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said before Hull’s death. “It takes a special kind of person to do that.”

Christ Chapel Bible Church, which has campuses in west Fort Worth as well as in Willow Park, posted an item Friday morning on Facebook asking for prayers for Hull.

“Christ Chapel, will you join us in praying for Fort Worth Police Officer Garrett Hull? Officer Hull, who grew up at Christ Chapel, was shot last night and is currently in critical condition at JPS Hospital.”

Later Friday, pastor Bill Egner said that church members had not seen Hull in quite some time, but remember his early years at the church fondly.

“Though according to our records Mr. Hull is no longer an attender of Christ Chapel, we remember that he was a vibrant and active part of our Student Ministry years ago as a student,” Enger said in an email.

“As a long-time “Back the Blue” church, Christ Chapel is grieved when any law enforcement officer is wounded in the line of duty, but particularly in this situation as there are close ties to our church family. Right now our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Hull, his family, the Fort Worth Police Department and the medical community in Fort Worth who we’re confident are doing everything in their power to care for him.”

Hull has had two stints with the Fort Worth Police Department, according to Officer Brad Perez, a police spokesman. Hull joined the force in 1999, but left the department in 2009.

He then returned in 2011, and was “welcomed with open arms,” Fitzgerald said.

“He is the rock of that unit,” he said before Hull died. “That says a whole lot about a person.”

Hull was a husband and father of two daughters. His wife and one daughter were at his bedside Friday morning, and the other daughter was on the way, Fitzgerald said.

He was surrounded by family and fellow police officers when he died, police said.

This story was originally published September 14, 2018 at 6:11 PM.